Written by Chase Majerus
Welcome! Hello! Hola! Bonjour! At This Week Today, we round up the most interesting mortgage, housing, and finance stories you might want to know about. This is the stuff that makes you feel a little smarter (even if you’re scrolling half-asleep on your way to work). It’s quick, it’s useful, and sometimes it’s just plain fun.
A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, lets you borrow against your home’s available equity. Applying for a HELOC with Synergy One Lending is fast and easy. Our application is fast, easy, and all online. If pre-approved, you’ll be instantly presented with your offer options.
(from CNBC.com)
The Fed trimmed interest rates by a quarter-point this week, basically lowering the “cover charge” to borrow money. Two more cuts could be coming this year if the job market keeps cooling.
Unemployment just hit its highest level since 2021, and the Fed is nervous about things slowing down too much. Cheaper rates make mortgages, credit cards, and business loans less expensive… eventually. Wall Street expected this move, but the mixed reaction shows investors are still on edge.
One Fed governor even wanted a bigger cut, but most stuck with the smaller one to play it safe. Powell says it’s “risk management,” not “panic mode,” but the message is clear, they’re trying to soften the landing
If you’re thinking about refinancing or buying a home, moves like this can open the door. It won’t be instant, but lower rates can ripple through the economy and your wallet.
(from Curbed.com)
This 11,000-square-foot Staten Island mega-home just sold for $8.5 million, shattering the borough’s previous price record. Built by the owners of Farm to Bagel, it’s part luxury resort, part personal playground, and yes, it even has its own hair salon.
Highlights of 176 Benedict Road:
It’s the ultimate Staten Island status symbol, but across the street sits an even bigger rival (a 33,000-square-foot mansion once owned by Paul Castellano) listed at $18 million. Side note: One of my best friends lives in Staten Island and I swear if I asked him about this place he’d be like, “oh yeah my brother’s sister’s boyfriend from high school’s nephew once went there for blah blah” like bro, YOU DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT STATEN ISLAND. Is that just a New York thing?
Like earlier in the newsletter, rates are at their lowest point in years, and that makes your home equity more powerful than ever. With the market shifting and borrowing costs easing, there’s a real opportunity to put your home’s value to work for your financial future.
At Synergy One Lending, we help homeowners unlock that potential every day. Here are three smart ways you can use your equity right now (you can also click here to see our awesome breakdown):
With interest rates down and more financing options available, your equity can do more than just sit there, it can help you build wealth, reduce debt, and upgrade your lifestyle. Synergy One Lending is here to guide you through the process with clarity and confidence.
S1 FinFit is a FREE app that provides a roadmap to help you reach your financial and lifestyle goals, no matter how big or small! Free credit monitoring with alerts, set financial goals, create budgets, and keep track of your spending to see where your money is going.
Download the app on the appropriate app store with the links below!
(from BusinessInsider.com)
America’s biggest homebuilders are suddenly optimistic, saying the housing market might finally be hitting a turning point.
With the Fed expected to cut rates for the first time this year, mortgage costs are easing, the 30-year fixed just dipped to 6.35%. NAHB economist Robert Dietz thinks lower borrowing costs and cooling inflation could jump-start home sales after a sluggish start to 2025.
Builders are betting rates stay under 6.5% and two Fed cuts arrive by year’s end. The 10-year Treasury yield is also sliding, a signal investors see cheaper money on the horizon.
More sellers are already entering the market, which could heat up competition for buyers.
Oh, was all that too complicated to read? *AHEM* The housing market’s been in a nap, but it might be about to wake up and stretch in a big way.
Pacaso’s New Mortgage is Basically a Timeshare Glow-Up
(from Housingwire.com)
Pacaso has unveiled the first 30-year mortgage designed specifically for vacation home co-ownership, backed by a $100 million credit facility from Texas Capital. Huh?
The loan lets multiple buyers appear as co-borrowers on a single mortgage and even offers up to five years of interest-only payments to keep initial costs down. This is a direct response to the company’s survey showing financing is the biggest hurdle for would-be co-owners, with 74% saying flexible loans could make them pull the trigger.
It’s a bold move in an already controversial corner of real estate. Critics argue Pacaso’s model drives up prices, reshapes local housing markets, and turns quiet neighborhoods into “fractional resorts.”
Fans say it democratizes access to second homes and brings more transparency to a market that’s historically been exclusive. By creating a standardized loan product, Pacaso is betting that institutional money and mainstream financing can normalize co-ownership.
The company plans to roll out the mortgage nationwide in Q4 2025, with loans originated by a third party and later sold to investors. Whether it becomes a breakthrough or a flashpoint, Pacaso’s new mortgage is poised to change how people buy and share second homes.
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